Chef Collective
We’ve had the opportunity to work with local, seasoned chefs looking to break out on their own and take the personal chef route, and we’re excited to introduce this new feature on a consistent basis. Whether you’re looking to plan an intimate dinner or celebration at home, or location of your choice, we can put you in touch with our team of chefs. They can work with you to design a menu specifically for you and your guests, or, offer a tasting menu of their choice if you prefer the element of surprise. Our team facilitates all of the arrangements, including set-up and clean-up, and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
Featured Chefs
Chef Kene Izegbu: with over a decade of experience, Kene is a DC native, and formerly Chef de Partie of prestigious establishments such as Kinship/Metier and Napa Valley’s The French Laundry. Kene is also a master in the catering and pastry world. We have featured her for previous promotions and people were thrilled to experience her culinary expertise. Kene is currently embarking on a new culinary journey as the Head Chef for the up and coming wineLair DC, a members only private wine club. Kene is still available for private dinners, as well as brunch and holidays and she can also incorporate a cocktail hour and/or wine pairings into your experience. Check-out more on Kene’s Instagram @keneizegbu.
Chef Benjamin “Benny” Grant: DC native who began his culinary career at Bistro Bis on Capitol Hill before attending The Culinary Institute of America in Upstate New York. After graduating, Benny headed to Philadelphia to work for fine dining establishment, Mica, and then returned to DC as Chef de Cuisine at legendary upscale southern restaurant Vidalia. When Vidalia closed, Benny continued to work for Jeffrey Buben at Bistro Bis before transitioning to RARE Steakhouse and Tavern, where he worked his way up to Chef de Cuisine. Benny is available for private dinners, cooking classes, and “A Day with Chef Benny” where you’ll plan a menu together, shop for ingredients, and cook together. He can also include a cocktail hour and wine pairings into your experience. Check-out more on Benny’s Instagram @food4thoughtdmvllc.
Chef Ryan Ross: native of Warrenton, VA, she, along with her husband and two daughters, have recently moved back to Fauquier county after living in Brooklyn, NY and in Washington State. Ryan has been in the realm of bespoke dining and food–centric events for the last 12 years. She grew up in her mother’s organic health food store, The Natural Marketplace, in Warrenton, and attended the Natural Gourmet Institute of NYC, as well as the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Ryan is also a certified Holistic Health Practitioner by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Health supportive, festive, organic, sustainable, foraged and local food is her world! She is a recipe writer, product developer and has consulted for plant-based restaurants in Washington state, New York City, on Little Corn Island, Nicaragua, Munich, Germany, Paris, France, and currently at the Red Fox Inn in Middelburg. Chef Ryan is also a published author of the No-Fuss Cookbook for Newlyweds, was Food Network’s ‘Chopped Champ’ on the episode “Light makes Right,” and co-hosted the finale episode, as well as the Thanksgiving special, of Joel Gamoran’s first and second season of SCRAPS on the A&E network. Check-out more on Ryan’s Instagram @thechefryanross.
Chef Aaron Butler: Aaron Butler is an alumni of Georgetown University and L’Academie de Cuisine. Aaron began his professional career as a Wealth Management Advisor before swapping his suit coat for a chef coat in 2012, and never looked back. Aaron became a Sous Chef at DC’s Red Hen before moving on to run his own kitchen for 1776, a start-up incubator and co-working space in Washington, DC. Before becoming a full time private chef, Aaron had the opportunity to serve as the Executive Chef for the Washington Nationals baseball team from 2019-2021, including their magical run to the National Championship in 2019 (It must have been the food!). Today, Chef Aaron enjoys creating custom menus for private dinner parties and celebrations, sharing his passion for food and bringing people together. Inspired by the interplay of bright citrus, fresh herbs and tongue-tingling spice shared by the mid-latitude cuisines from Central America to the Mediterranean to South East Asia, Chef Aaron is a firm believer that as in life, the key to great food is balance. Check-out more on Aaron’s Instagram @chefaarondc.
Chef Shalia Coburn: Hailing from Atlanta, GA, Chef Shalia has been a force in the DMV meal prep and catering world. Inspired by her traveling experience as a flight attendant, Shalia completed her culinary degree at the renowned L’ Académie de Cuisine in 2013. She completed her apprenticeship at the Michelin Star Award winning restaurant, Blue Duck Tavern in Washington, DC, and after graduating Shalia worked for various luxury hotel brands such as The W Hotel and Kimpton Hotels. When her mentor of 8 years, Chef Bernard Henry, retired, Shalia took over as head chef and CEO of Chef Bernard LLC, now known as Chef B. Meals. Over the course of 3 years, Shalia has grown Chef B. Meals, emphasizing healthy, farm-to-table, elegant meal prep. Her focus on sustainability landed her a feature in October 2018’s issue of Potomac Lifestyle Magazine which highlighted her flair for seasonable, locally sourced food. With a diverse menu, Shalia and her team of highly skilled chefs offer authentic diverse cuisine types. Customer retention and outstanding service is Shalia’s priority, and she is dedicated to serving delicious food made with love and passion! Check out more on Shalia’s Instagram @chefbmeals.
Chef Jamie-Claire Chau: Growing up amongst culturally diverse food centric communities in both Philadelphia and Vietnam has shaped Jamie-Claire’s passion for creating joy through food. They had a supportive hand in establishing the Pholicious franchise on the east coast. From there they also set off to start their own artisan small batch chili crisps company (Chili Crisps 4 Spicy Lips). One of their greatest culinary joys was to work as a cooking program manager and educator for BIPOC high school youth in Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ. Since moving to DC, they started Meal Mate DC, a service that provides compassionate kitchen coaching as well as personal chef services specializing in interactive meal events (i.e. Korean bbq, hot pot, Vietnamese spring rolls) and family style meals served or prepped. While they specialize in Asian and Southeast cuisines, their vast international travel and cooking experience is sure to meet diverse clients’ flavor palettes. More information about their services can be found on mealmatedc.com. @mealmatedc.
We will be featuring other local area chefs, so sign up below to see what we have in store!